NETWORK FINALS: THE OSCARS ended up at 10.5, down a fairly small 0.3 from the 2015 telecast. Interestingly, in the final national numbers, the rating was basically steady through the telecast, without the bump in the first half-hour that was evident in the overnights. The LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET pre-show was rated as separate half-hours and adjusted to 2.6/4.0/5.9.

Broadcast Official Nationals Program Ratings Chart

CABLE HIGHLIGHTS: Not many cable networks wanted to do battle with the Oscars, but THE WALKING DEAD pressed on, although even that behemoth dropped half a point to 6.08. TALKING DEAD followed, down 0.45 to 2.23, and COMIC BOOK MEN actually ticked up to 0.36. E!’s LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET pre-show was at 0.73. Adult Swim’s VENTURE BROTHERS was down 0.04 to 0.53. On History, AX MEN slipped 0.03 to 0.43. Food Network’s GUY’S GROCERY GAMES dropped 0.03 to 0.36, ALL STAR ACADEMY fell 0.05 to 0.32, and CUTTHROAT KITCHEN lost 0.11 to 0.30. The weak night brought some unusual networks to the Top 10, as ID’s EVIL LIVES HERE and an NBC Sports Network PREMIERE LEAGUE soccer match were both at 0.34. HBO may have thought that the absence of original Showtime series would compensate for the Oscars competition, but the results were minimal: GIRLS gained 0.03 to 0.26, but LAST WEEK TONIGHT fell 0.08 to 0.26, VINYL dropped 0.07 to 0.20, and TOGETHERNESS was steady at 0.15. Hallmark’s WHEN CALLS THE HEART ticked up to 0.23.

Top 50 Original Cable Telecasts with Demographic Detail

Top 150 Original Cable TelecastsTo search for a show: type Ctrl-F and type your show title in the search box.

Top 150 Original Cable Telecasts: Sunday February 28, 2016

P18-49

P2+

Rank

Program

Net

Start

Mins

Rating

(000s)

1

WALKING DEAD

AMC

9:00 PM

62

6.08

12,794

2

TALKING DEAD

AMC

10:02 PM

59

2.23

4,890

3

LRC 16 ACADEMY AWARDS: N/A

E!

5:30 PM

180

0.73

2,103

4

VENTURE BROTHERS

ADULT SWIM

12:00 AM

30

0.53

986

5

AX MEN

HISTORY

9:00 PM

63

0.43

1,751

6

SAN ANDREAS

HBO PRIME

7:00 PM

114

0.39

1,052

7

GUYS GROCERY GAMES

FOOD NETWORK

8:00 PM

60

0.36

1,184

8

COMIC BOOK MEN

AMC

12:30 AM

30

0.36

747

9

EVIL LIVES HERE

INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY

10:00 PM

60

0.34

1,216

10

PREMIER LEAGUE L: ARSENAL/MANCHESTER UNITED

NBC SPORTS NETWORK

8:58 AM

137

0.34

717

11

ALL-STAR ACADEMY 2

FOOD NETWORK

9:00 PM

60

0.32

1,200

12

CUTTHROAT KITCHEN

FOOD NETWORK

10:00 PM

60

0.30

896

13

UNUSUAL SUSPECTS

INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY

9:00 PM

60

0.29

1,153

14

HOARDERS SPECIALS

A&E NETWORK

9:00 PM

60

0.27

735

15

SPORTSCENTER WEEKEND-AM L: N/A

ESPN

10:00 AM

180

0.27

576

16

GIRLS

HBO PRIME

10:01 PM

29

0.26

533

17

MIRACULOUS: TALES OF LADY

NICKELODEON

7:00 PM

30

0.26

1,064

18

LAST WEEK TONIGHT

HBO PRIME

11:00 PM

30

0.26

699

19

SPORTSCENTER WEEKEND-AM L

ESPN

8:00 AM

60

0.24

580

20

SOUTHERN AT HEART

FOOD NETWORK

12:00 PM

30

0.23

906

21

WHEN CALLS THE HEART

HALLMARK CHANNEL

9:00 PM

60

0.23

1,738

22

FIRST LOOK: HW MEDIUM

E!

8:30 PM

12

0.22

571

23

LIGA MX (EF) SUN: GUADALAJARA/TIJUANA

UNIVISION DEPORTES

5:50 PM

130

0.22

508

24

BRUNCH AT BOBBYS

FOOD NETWORK

12:30 PM

30

0.21

815

25

SPORTS REPORTERS

ESPN

9:30 AM

30

0.21

551

26

GUYS BIG BITES

FOOD NETWORK

9:30 AM

30

0.20

779

27

VINYL

HBO PRIME

9:00 PM

59

0.20

533

28

BLENDED

HBO PRIME

2:00 PM

117

0.18

447

29

PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONE

NBC SPORTS NETWORK

11:15 AM

45

0.18

368

30

PBA BOWLING: CP3 PBA CELEBRITY

ESPN

1:00 PM

120

0.18

631

31

SPORTSCENTER LATE L

ESPN

11:00 PM

90

0.18

374

32

OUTSIDE THE LINES-WKND

ESPN

9:00 AM

30

0.18

500

33

MOVIE: CRUEL

LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK

8:00 PM

120

0.18

687

34

CNN NEWSROOM

CNN

5:00 PM

60

0.18

1,119

35

COUNTDOWN 2016 OSCARS: N/A

E!

1:30 PM

240

0.18

499

36

CNN NEWSROOM

CNN

4:00 PM

60

0.17

949

37

CNN NEWSROOM

CNN

3:00 PM

60

0.16

924

38

BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE 3

CMT

8:00 PM

60

0.16

424

39

NASCAR RACEDAY L

FOX SPORTS 1

11:00 AM

90

0.16

662

40

FOX NEWS SUNDAY

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

2:00 PM

60

0.16

1,160

41

FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

9:00 AM

60

0.16

1,339

42

FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

8:00 AM

60

0.16

1,424

43

STATE OF THE UNION

CNN

9:00 AM

60

0.15

836

44

FAREED ZAKARIA: GPS

CNN

10:00 AM

60

0.15

874

45

NHL REGULAR SEASON L: TAMPA/BOSTON

NBC SPORTS NETWORK

6:33 PM

162

0.15

474

46

ESPN ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY

ESPN

3:00 PM

60

0.15

381

47

SNAPPED

OXYGEN MEDIA

9:00 PM

60

0.15

489

48

TOGETHERNESS

HBO PRIME

10:31 PM

27

0.15

336

49

NHL REGULAR SEASON L: LOS ANGELES/ANAHEIM

NBC SPORTS NETWORK

9:15 PM

169

0.15

364

50

MEDIA BUZZ

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

11:00 AM

60

0.14

1,246

51

FIVE, THE

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

5:00 PM

60

0.14

1,269

52

RELIABLE SOURCES

CNN

11:00 AM

60

0.14

806

53

HOLLYWOODS BIGGEST NIGHT

CNN

6:00 PM

90

0.14

731

54

SPORTSCENTER WEEKEND-AM L

ESPN2

9:00 AM

60

0.14

305

55

GUARDIANS OF GALAXY

DISNEY XD

8:30 AM

30

0.14

447

56

BRAIN GAMES

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHNL

9:00 PM

60

0.13

332

57

SUNDAY MORNING FUTURES

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

10:00 AM

60

0.13

1,200

58

CNN NEWSROOM

CNN

2:00 PM

60

0.13

858

59

FOX REPORT SUNDAY

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

7:00 PM

60

0.13

1,327

60

E! AFTER PARTY 16 OSCARS

E!

11:45 PM

90

0.13

380

61

CURSE OF THE FROZEN GOLD

ANIMAL PLANET

10:02 PM

61

0.13

527

62

CAPITAL ONE CUP – L: FINAL LIVERPOOL VS. MANCHESTER CITY

BEIN SPORT

11:25 AM

195

0.13

275

63

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN

DISNEY XD

9:00 AM

30

0.13

469

64

INSIDE POLITICS

CNN

8:00 AM

60

0.13

699

65

PGA TOUR

GOLF CHANNEL

1:00 PM

118

0.13

875

66

OUTSIDE THE LINES-WKND

ESPN2

10:00 AM

30

0.12

268

67

NFL SCOUTING COMBINE: 2016 – DL & LB

NFL NETWORK

9:00 AM

390

0.12

265

68

AMERICAS NEWS HQ

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

12:00 PM

60

0.12

1,133

69

LIFT EVERY VOICE

BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TV

10:02 AM

31

0.12

468

70

AMERICAS NEWS HQ

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

1:00 PM

60

0.12

971

71

FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

7:00 AM

60

0.12

993

72

SPORTSCENTER EARLY L

ESPN

5:54 PM

66

0.11

342

73

COLLEGE TRACK & FIELD: SEC INDOOR CHAMP

ESPN

7:00 PM

120

0.11

438

74

WICKER MAN, THE

HBO PRIME

5:15 PM

102

0.11

280

75

PAID PROGRAM

USA NETWORK

7:00 AM

30

0.10

315

76

DISTURBIA

HBO PRIME

8:45 AM

105

0.10

223

77

BUNDESLIGA – L: MAINZ VS LEVERKUSEN

FOX DEPORTES

11:27 AM

122

0.10

212

78

CHEERLEADING

ESPN2

12:30 PM

30

0.10

276

79

CHEERLEADING

ESPN2

12:00 PM

30

0.10

287

80

NFL TOTAL ACCESS

NFL NETWORK

7:00 PM

60

0.10

177

81

AMERICAS NEWS HQ

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

4:00 PM

60

0.09

927

82

NHRA D: PHOENIX

FOX SPORTS 1

5:00 PM

185

0.09

645

83

WCB: 2/27/16 CRAWFORD/LUN

HBO PRIME

10:30 AM

102

0.09

225

84

ESPN ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY

ESPN2

8:00 AM

60

0.09

186

85

NBA GAMETIME LIVE

NBA-TV

10:22 PM

38

0.09

181

86

MEET THE PRESS

MSNBC

2:00 PM

60

0.09

629

87

AMERICAS NATIONAL PARKS

NAT GEO WILD

8:00 PM

60

0.09

407

88

GREG GUTFELD SHOW, THE

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

10:00 PM

60

0.09

695

89

SALVAGE DAWGS

DIY NETWORK

9:30 PM

30

0.09

385

90

NBA REGULAR SEASON L: MINNESOTA/DALLAS

NBA-TV

7:01 PM

147

0.09

243

91

GENERATION X

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHNL

10:00 PM

60

0.09

226

92

SPORTS REPORTERS

ESPN2

10:30 AM

30

0.08

221

93

EXPEDIENTES UDN – L

UNIVISION DEPORTES

8:00 PM

60

0.08

207

94

WEEKEND EXPRESS

HLN

10:00 AM

60

0.08

304

95

CHEERLEADING

ESPN2

11:00 AM

60

0.08

191

96

PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIO

NBC SPORTS NETWORK

8:00 AM

58

0.08

164

97

WEEKEND EXPRESS

HLN

7:00 AM

60

0.08

371

98

NBA POSTGAME SHOW

NBA-TV

9:28 PM

54

0.08

184

99

PLACE FOR POLITICS

MSNBC

12:00 PM

60

0.08

506

100

PLACE FOR POLITICS

MSNBC

1:00 PM

60

0.07

569

101

OFFSEASON: KEVIN DURANT

HBO PRIME

6:01 AM

52

0.07

154

102

HIGHWAY THRU HELL

THE WEATHER CHANNEL

10:00 PM

60

0.07

370

103

PLACE FOR POLITICS

MSNBC

5:00 PM

79

0.07

508

104

COLL BSKTBL: BIG EAST L: XAVIER/SETON HALL

FOX SPORTS 1

12:30 PM

133

0.07

242

105

KICKBOXING: N/A

ESPN2

9:00 PM

120

0.07

225

106

WEEKEND EXPRESS

HLN

9:00 AM

60

0.07

291

107

NBA PREGAME SHOW

NBA-TV

6:30 PM

31

0.07

178

108

PLACE FOR POLITICS

MSNBC

3:00 PM

60

0.07

443

109

FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

6:00 AM

60

0.07

596

110

WEEKEND EXPRESS

HLN

8:00 AM

60

0.07

299

111

SALVAGE DAWGS

DIY NETWORK

9:00 PM

30

0.07

372

112

AND THE WINNER IS…: AND THE WINNER IS 2016

CNN

12:00 AM

120

0.07

340

113

WMNS COLL BKBL REG SSN L

ESPN2

1:00 PM

111

0.06

213

114

WEEKENDS WITH ALEX WITT

MSNBC

7:00 AM

30

0.06

250

115

NEW DAY SUNDAY

CNN

7:00 AM

60

0.06

520

116

TECH GARAGE

VELOCITY

8:30 AM

30

0.06

212

117

X GAMES: OSLO 2016

ESPN2

7:00 PM

120

0.06

176

118

COLLEGE BKBL REG SSN L: WASHINGTON/OREGON

ESPNU

8:35 PM

123

0.06

227

119

TRANSPORTER, THE

MAXPRIME

8:25 PM

92

0.06

138

120

AMERICAS NATIONAL PARKS

NAT GEO WILD

9:00 PM

60

0.06

327

121

TRNING PT W DR D JEREMIAH

USA NETWORK

7:30 AM

30

0.06

213

122

WINX CLUB

NICK JR

10:30 AM

30

0.06

381

123

PLACE FOR POLITICS: N/A

MSNBC

10:00 AM

120

0.06

399

124

COLL BKBL SCOREBOARD L

ESPN2

2:51 PM

13

0.06

161

125

COMBINE PRIMETIME: 2016 – DL & LB

NFL NETWORK

8:00 PM

180

0.06

112

126

VIUDA NEGRA II, LA 02/28

GALAVISION

10:03 PM

57

0.06

108

127

PLACE FOR POLITICS

MSNBC

4:00 PM

60

0.06

390

128

WEEKEND EXPRESS

HLN

11:00 AM

60

0.06

277

129

YOUR BUSINESS

MSNBC

7:30 AM

30

0.06

249

130

DOLPHIN TALE 2

HBO PRIME

6:55 AM

107

0.05

125

131

WINX CLUB

NICK JR

10:00 AM

30

0.05

350

132

CNN NEWSROOM LIVE

CNN

2:00 AM

60

0.05

242

133

PLACE FOR POLITICS

MSNBC

9:00 AM

60

0.05

360

134

BECOMING MIKE NICHOLS

HBO PRIME

4:00 PM

72

0.05

124

135

JOEL OSTEEN

USA NETWORK

8:30 AM

30

0.05

267

136

NHL LIVE POST

NBC SPORTS NETWORK

12:04 AM

21

0.05

106

137

TRUCK RACING: MINT 400

NBC SPORTS NETWORK

1:00 PM

120

0.05

125

138

NHL LIVE PRE

NBC SPORTS NETWORK

5:30 PM

63

0.05

159

139

NEW DAY SUNDAY

CNN

6:00 AM

60

0.05

437

140

BUNDESLIGA – L: FRANKFURT VS SCHALKE

FOX DEPORTES

1:29 PM

120

0.05

96

141

BUNDESLIGA L: MAINZ/LEVERKUSEN

FOX SPORTS 2

11:26 AM

124

0.05

81

142

WMNS COLL BKBL REG SSN L

ESPN2

5:06 PM

114

0.05

184

143

YU-GI-OH! ARC-V

NICKTOONS

10:00 AM

30

0.05

176

144

AMHQ WEEKEND

THE WEATHER CHANNEL

8:00 AM

60

0.05

273

145

DRACULA UNTOLD (2014)

MAXPRIME

10:00 PM

92

0.05

115

146

WMNS COLL BKBL REG SSN L

ESPN

4:00 PM

114

0.05

197

147

BLACK KNIGHT

MAXPRIME

10:25 AM

96

0.04

101

148

AMHQ WEEKEND

THE WEATHER CHANNEL

7:00 AM

60

0.04

277

149

WEEKEND RECHARGE

THE WEATHER CHANNEL

9:00 AM

60

0.04

333

150

ESPN ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY

ESPN2

7:00 AM

60

0.04

103

###

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About the Author

Mitch Metcalf

MITCH METCALF has been tracking every US film release of over 500 screens (over 2300 movies and counting) since the storied weekend of May 20, 1994, when Maverick and Beverly Hills Cop 3 inspired countless aficionados to devote their lives to the art of cinema. Prior to that, he studied Politics and Economics at Princeton in order to prepare for his dream of working in television. He has been Head of West Coast Research at ABC, then moved to NBC in 2000 and became Head of Scheduling for 11 years.